Horticulture New Zealand welcomes lifting of fruit fly movement controls

Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) welcomes the lifting of movement controls on fruit and vegetables in Auckland following the successful response to the detection of a single Oriental fruit fly.

“The decision by Biosecurity New Zealand to end the controls operation is a testament to the effectiveness of New Zealand’s biosecurity system and the swift action taken when the fruit fly was detected,” says Kate Scott, chief executive of HortNZ.

“We appreciate the co-operation from residents and businesses of Papatoetoe to ensure fruit and vegetables were safely disposed of. Their support has been invaluable in protecting New Zealand’s horticulture sector.

“The Oriental fruit fly poses a serious threat to New Zealand’s fruit and vegetable industries, and growers will be pleased with this outcome. Biosecurity is critical to their livelihoods, and growers rely on a strong, responsive system to protect their crops, orchards and market access.

“While the movement restrictions have been lifted, we support the ongoing surveillance as part of routine biosecurity measures. Continued vigilance is essential to keeping our sector free of pests like Oriental fruit fly.”